VIRGIL ABLOH LOOKS TO MICHAEL JACKSON AS INSPIRATION FOR SECOND LOUIS VUITTON COLLECTION

Designer Virgil Abloh paid homage to the King of Pop in his second runway collection for Louis Vuitton, one of this season’s most highly anticipated shows, in Paris on Thursday.

With Michael Jackson references abound, from the sparkling gloves and architectural jackets worn by some of the models to the show’s final moments, in which the house band’s guitarist walked down the runway in darkness as tiles lit up under his feet on the runway, recreating an iconic moment from the “Billie Jean” music video.

The fall/winter 2019 set, visualized in the image of the streets of New York City, features a live installation by graffiti artists Jim Joe, Lewy Btm and Futura. An original soundtrack, You Know What’s Good, is composed and performed live by Devonté Hynes aka Blood Orange along with Mikey Freedom on vocals, Hart on bass, and Jason Arce on saxophone and flute. The playlist consisted of some of Jackson’s greatest hits, with the show closing with a Hynes’ cover of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin.’”

As the show began, models interspersed down the runway “street,” demonstrating not only its multi-cultural roots, but the global nature of the city and the clothes. Puffy jackets were inflated with oversized LV monogram quilting, short moto jackets softened into full boxy jackets, flannels and T-shirts were dusted with crystals and a Jackson signature (military-style buttons) were displayed on silk shirts and jackets. There was also an original print featuring Jackson’s scarecrow and other characters from the 1978 film The Wiz.